


Conquer my heart

by ZeeTaoHime



Series: Zee's  RHAEGAR x LYANNA AU Week 2018 [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Independent North, late conquer, princess lyanna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-20 21:35:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16145990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZeeTaoHime/pseuds/ZeeTaoHime
Summary: RHAEGAR x LYANNA AU WeekDay 1: Canon Divergence AUThe Conquest was a slow process and it took Aegon The Unlikely’s fear of the Long Night to urge the Targaryens to finally try to conquer the North after leaving the region alone for 300 years.Winner of the Rhaegar/Lyanna Awards 2018 for the "Best One-shot" category





	Conquer my heart

**Author's Note:**

> Made for @rhaegarxlyanna 's AU week on tumblr
> 
> https://rhaegarxlyanna.tumblr.com/post/178116076647/rhaegarxlyanna-hello-lovely-followers-and

His head was still spinning. He held the reins firmly as he tried not to puke. Blackfyre had fallen. Something had made his _dragon_ fall from the skies. Rhaegar could still hear his dragon’s breath, fearing that he had been hurt. Blackfyre roared loudly and Rhaegar moved his hand to pet the hard scales.

 

“Easy, my friend.” The Prince whispered as he opened his indigo eyes. “We will survive this.”

 

He looked around and grimaced at the foul smell. They had fallen right into the swamps of the so called Neck. The huge body of his dragon had taken down many trees, making some sort of meadow and Rhaegar was surprised about how dark it was, even with the newfound open space. What had made Blackfyre fall? According to the Riverlords, the Neck had no soldiers, only small men with spears meant to fish, not fight. The Crannogmen couldn’t possibly have been responsible for his fall.

 

He looked down.

 

“What is this?”

 

There were vines crawling their way onto the dragon, holding him down. They were thick and kept growing and tying around Blackfyre’s limbs. Rhaegar went to grab his sword, but one of the vines got hold of his arm as another started to go up his leg. Soon, he was also trapped.

 

“What is this witchcraft?” He growled and could do nothing but look as the vines shut the dragon’s mouth, preventing any possibility of Rhaegar giving the command for it to spit fire. “Seven hells.”

 

He heard movement from behind him, but couldn’t move to look. Steps approaching him fast. What he saw was something he had only heard of in legends. It was a small human like creature with nut-brown skin covered in paler spots, like a deer. It’s eyes were pure gold and it had huge ears. It was a Child of the Forest.

 

Others came into view and they began to talk to one another in a weird tongue the Prince could not understand. One of them left, but the first one to come kept staring at him, it’s big eyes seemed to see through his body, reaching the Prince’s soul. Then, from the same place that that one child have left, men came out. Small men holding spears. Crannogmen. One approached the first child and spoke to it in the same weird language before turning to him.

 

“You must be Rhaegar Targaryen.” The man said with a strong accent. “I am Howland Reed, Lord of Greywater Watch.” He gestured to the children. “And these are the Singers, their magic was the one to bring your dragon down.”

 

The Prince remained silent.

 

“We will take you to Prince Bradon and his siblings, but your dragon will stay behind.” He nodded to the men that had came with him. “We ask that you do not fight us, our King wants to avoid a real war.”

 

“We are already at war.” Rhaegar interrupted. “King Aegon Targaryen has declared a war of conquest.”

 

“The North has avoided all conflict, Prince Rhaegar.” It was his short answer. “We have no intent of joining the war your family started.”

 

“I did not fly north to bring war.”

 

“Hold your explanations for the Prince, saying your intentions to me will not change our destination.” Lord Reed never dropped the formality, even if he held no obligation towards the Dragon Prince. “Now, will you cooperate?”

 

Rhaegar nodded and made no hostile move when the Crannogmen took him out of Blackfyre’s back. The Prince asked about what they would do with his dragon and Lord Reed said that the children would take care of him in their absence. Rhaegar trusted his words, the man did not look like the lying type.

 

They took Rhaegar through a narrow path that was hard to follow; he had almost fallen in the muddy waters when taking a wrong step. Lord Reed told him to follow his exact steps to avoid it happening again. The rumors that only a Crannogman could guide you through their lands was no lie. The Prince couldn’t imagine an army storming the North through land.

 

A few meters ahead, Rhaegar saw horses waiting, it meant they were heading towards somewhere rather far away. Would they take him to Winterfell? He doubted it. They said he would meet the Prince, not the King. The child spoke with Lord Reed again and he nodded, turning to Rhaegar.

 

“I need to put you to sleep now.” Seeing the child speak the common tongue surprised him. “We can’t let you see more of the path.”

 

“I understand.” He truly did. “Will you use your magic?”

 

“Yes, it will hurt a bit.”

 

Rhaegar just nodded, it was not like he could say no.

 

When he woke up, he was greeted by the glorious sight of Moat Cailin. He had heard stories of the fortress, but to see it first hand was entirely different. It was majestic.

 

“Welcome to Moat Cailin, Prince Rhaegar.”

 

The Prince found himself unable to answer, way to impressed with that castle to notice those around him. The enormous gates opened for them, the guards had no need to ask who it was; no one could ever make this far North without a Crannogman. Inside, Rhaegar saw many more children of the forest and northmen. Some wore heavy pelts and messy hair, holding spears and bone daggers. Wildlings. The Maesters knew very little about them, only that they lived beyond the Wall and that they were in peace with the North for nearly fifity years. Savages, they were called in the South. Rhaegar didn’t see it, even with their odd looks. The northmen whispered when they saw him arriving in chains, some even smirked at him. The Prince could feel his blood boil, but he wasn’t his father, he wouldn’t explode in anger. Five guards approached the arriving group, they were accompanied by a woman in dark garments, she had a pretty enough face, but contorted in an sour expression.

 

“Unchain the Prince,” She barked to Lord Reed once the group reached them.

 

“Prince Brandon ordered that the Prince should be chained once they met.” The Crannogman argued, but the woman just scowled.

 

“Oh, I know.” Her voice was colder than the wind who was currently freezing Rhaegar’s body. “But our Prince is not here right now. _Princess Lyanna”_ The woman nearly spat the name. “is the one who holds court right now, she says we have to treat this man like a guest.”

 

Howland unchained him right away, not questioning the new orders. Rhaegar massaged his wrists and wondered why he had never heard of this northern princess. The Dragon Prince had heard of the heir and the second son, who has a good relationship with Rhaegar’s cousin, Robert. Eddard, the second in line, had fostered in the Vale before it became part of the unified Kingdoms King Aegon had decided to build.

 

“Come with me, Prince.” The woman looked him up and down and her face softened. “I am Barbrey Ryswell, the Princess chief lady-in-waiting and I am here to take you to her.” She turned. “Follow me.”

 

Rhaegar didn’t answer for he imagined she didn’t want one. Howland Reed was the only one to follow Rhaegar and his new ‘group’, the other Crannogmen and the children stayed behind. They entered the castle and walked for a long time, taking turns and going up some big stairs along the way. Rhaegar knew they had reached the ‘main hall’ when he say big wooden doors with many wolf details all over it. As they approached, the guards standing there moved to open. They went in.

 

The Dragon didn’t expect the “throne room” to be so… simple. It wasn’t the King’s main castle, that was true, but Summerhall’s throne room was extremely luxurious. The North didn’t seem to enjoy such luxury, as the room had only some tapestries, a long carpet and a big wooden chair. It was no throne, but the woman sitting on it looked like the highest of Queens.

 

“My Princess.” Lady Ryswell, Lord Reed and the guards lowered their heads. “I bring you the dragonlord Prince.”

 

Remembering his manners, Rhaegar lowered his head a bit in greeting, but didn’t keep it lowered for more than a second. He wanted to take a good look at that woman.

 

Princess Lyanna of the North.

 

Her skin was snow-like and her hair was darker than a moonless night, she bit her pink bottom lip as she stared at him with those alluring grayish blue eyes. She wore breeches and heavy boots. Her hair was in disarray and she held a dagger in her left hand. A child of the forest was whispering something to her while she nodded. The group waited.

“Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.” She spoke up in a strong voice as she rose from her seat. “I welcome you to Moat Cailin.” She walked towards him and he noticed how small she was in comparison. “I am Lyanna Stark, I am in command of the forces on Moat Cailin while my brother is away.”

 

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess. I am Prince Rhaegar, son of Prince Aerys.”

 

“I know who you are, no need to introduce yourself.”

 

“I was only being polite.”

 

A small smile threatened to form on the princess’ lips, but she turned away from him sharply.

 

“Like you Targaryens know how to be polite.” She mocked angrily. “You declared a war against the remaining free Kingdoms, demanding our obedience and claiming you will shape the Seven Kingdoms into one.” She finally turned to look at him again. “You think highly of yourselves, but forgot to take in consideration that the North doesn’t want you here.”

 

Rhaegar hadn’t expected the sharp coldness in her voice, she was small and her face reminded the Prince of a delicate porcelain doll. He would have never thought she could spill acid like that. The Princess’ anger was cold, but not less deadly than his.

 

“I understand how your people feel, Princess.” Rhaegar chose his words carefully, he knew better than to anger his ‘host’. “I assure you that my Great-grandfather is not doing this out of greed or glory, his wish is to guarantee we are ready for what is coming.”

 

“And what would that be?”

 

“The Long Night.”

 

The room was filled with sharp gasps and the Princess stared at him with her cold eyes and pretty lips a bit parted in surprise. Rhaegar wasn’t sure why they were so shocked, the Long Night was an old northern story, they should know plenty about it.

 

“I didn’t think you southerners believed in The Others.” She whispered slowly, her voice loosing a bit of its hostile tone. “You are always so worried with your petty wars.”

 

“King Aegon believes in it.” Rhaegar assured and took a step towards her, the guards reacted to stop him. “My entire conception happened because of a prophecy”

 

That seemed to get her attention.

 

“A prophecy?” The Princess murmured and was the one to step towards him that time. “Care to share it with me?”

 

They were very close now, and Rhaegar had to concentrate to not loose himself on her scent. She smelled sweet, but he couldn’t quite say what it was.

 

“The Prince that was Promised.” He also murmured, their closeness making was distracting. “The Song of Ice and Fire.”

 

They stared at each other for a full minute.

 

“Very well, Prince Rhaegar.” His name sounded right coming from her lips. “You have gained an audience with my father.”

 

She walked away, back to the big wooden chair she had been seating before, the child she was speaking before started to whisper into her ear again and both their eyes never left Rhaegar.

 

“What should we do with him, my Princess?” Lady Barbrey asked after a long silence.

 

“Give him a nice room to rest, prepare a bath if he wishes.” Princess Lyanna still started at him. “When dinner is ready, bring him to the hall to eat with me.”

 

“Of course, my Princess.” Barbrey curtsied and turned to him. “Follow me one more time, Prince Rhaegar.”

 

He nodded and followed her out of the throne room. When they left, her face dropped the polite mask and soured once more. Lord Reed excused himself to attend to some matters from his lands and so Rhaegar stayed alone with Lady Brarbrey and the five guards. For some reason, he didn’t like it very much.

 

“Listen closely, dragon filth.” She suddenly growled at him and Rhaegar would have jumped in surprise if he hadn’t been used to his father’s bursts of anger. “Princess Lyanna is just a little girl who holds no real power in this fortress. Somehow she managed to fool Brandon into going away and leave her in charge just in time for your arrival, but when he returns, he will have your head!”

 

Rhaegar just raised his brow at her, not impressed with her venom. The woman had a clear grudge against her Princess, but seemed to like the infamous Prince Brandon. Lady Barbrey’s problem probably had something to do with the oldest Stark child.

 

“Are you quite finished?” He wouldn’t let her talk to him like that. “I am a guest now, not a prisoner, and you can’t talk to a guest like that.” His voice was hard and it seemed to unsettle her. “Specially when said guest is the Prince of six Kingdoms.”

 

Rhaegar thought it impossible for he face to twist even more, but he was wrong. Barbrey Ryswell had plenty of venom to give.

 

“I will be there when Brandon chops off your head.” She pushes the door open. “Your chambers.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

He entered and closed the door behind him, not wishing to deal with that woman any longer.

 

His room was big, bigger than he expected it to be. Rhaegar didn’t think they would give him, a sort-of prisoner, such nice chambers. Yet, Princess Lyanna had surprised him once more. There was a full bathtub near the wall, the water was hot, so it had been prepared recently, did the Princess plan to have him as a guest since the beginning? Maybe that had been the motive she sent her brother away, to have him as a guest instead of as a head in a spike.

 

There were clothes on the bed for him. He felt glad that he wouldn’t need to wear the dirty ones again. He undressed and quickly sank into the water, sighing loudly. His muscles were sore and his head was hurting a little. Rhaegar started to wash himself while thinking about the odd day he was having. He worried about Blackfyre, who was still being held in the Neck, were the children and the crannogmen treating him badly? Normally he wouldn’t worry, but since they had the power to bring them down from the sky, why couldn’t they hurt him just as easily?

 

Still, Rhaegar couldn’t help but trust them.

 

His focus changed to his host, the Princess Lyanna. She was fierce and had a sharp tone despite her small frame, it would be adorable if it wasn’t quite scary. She looked young, but smarter than many grown men he had met in his great-grandfather’s council. She was also beautiful… in an odd way. She had a rather boyish look and many men from King’s Landing’s court would frown and laugh and even call her ugly, but Rhaegar thought it was charming. Was she good with the sword, he wondered? He knew that the women of Bear Island were warriors.

 

Lady Barbrey’s words came into his mind. Princess Lyanna had somehow manipulated her brother to leave Moat Cailin and, supposedly, that had saved Rhaegar’s life. It was hard for him to believe that Prince Brandon would just kill him. It would only make the war more violent, even if Aerys liked the idea of his oldest son being dead.

 

When he was done bathing, Rhaegar left the tub and took the towel to dry himself before trying the clothes left for him. They were big and fitted him oddly, but they were warm and clean, so it was enough. After dressing, he looked around the room more carefully and noticed some books placed on top of the small table near the window. He wondered if they knew he liked reading or if it was simple courtesy. Either way, he appreciated it.

 

He sat there and lit the single candle placed beside the pile of books, picking _Tales of the Neck._ He had time to open the book before the doors to his chambers where open brutally and a very distressed Princess Lyanna came in carrying a glass of wine and a plate with cheese. She hurried to the table and nearly yelled at him to eat and drink.

 

“Forgive me, I don’t...”

 

“Eat it!” She growled at him and he nearly jumped, but did as she said.

 

Not a second later, someone else stormed in.

 

“Lyanna!” The huge man roared at her. He was tall and broad, with dark brown hair and gray eyes shinning in rage. “Get away from the dragon shit.”

 

“He has eaten under our roof! He is our guest.” She put herself between the two men.

 

“You have reached a whole new level of pettiness.”

 

“I am not doing this out of spite! I am merely saving him from your stupidity!”

 

“ _Saving him?”_ The man, who Rhaegar was sure could only be Prince Brandon, scoffed. “Just listen to yourself, defending dragon scum.” He grabbed her am. “Now come, we must speak privately.”

 

“I am not going anywhere with you!” She forced him to let go of her and when he tried to grab her again, Rhaegar stood up.

 

“You won’t hurt you sister, not in my presence.” He said in a very low tone, which made Brandon’s face shift a little.

 

“Oh, and you will stop me?”

 

“I won’t let you, and you won’t disrespect Guest Right, I am sure.”

 

They stared at each other for what it felt like hours. Blue eyes staring Indigo, both burning in anger, one pair cold like blizzard and other hot like the Fourteen Flames. Eventually, Brandon scoffed and turned his back, leaving the room and slamming the door shut. Rhaegar sighed and sat down again, remembering his cousin Robert. Him and Prince Brandon were one of the same, it seemed.

 

“I didn’t need your help.”

 

“Oh really?” He murmured and turned his head to look at her. “It didn’t seem like it.”

 

She scoffed and for a moment she looked just like her brother.

 

“I assume that was the infamous Price Brandon.” He looked briefly at the closed door. “Not the most pleasant company, I must say.”

 

“He is not usually like this, he just really hates your entire house.” She sat in the other chair, right in front of him. “I did my best to keep him away from here while you stayed, but I guess that stupid Barbrey found a way of telling him you were here.”

 

“I don’t like her either.” He let a small smile form on his lips and felt something odd in his stomach when the Princess laughed softly.

 

“She is a pain in the ass, isn’t she?” The Princess made a confused face when she noticed the surprised look Rhaegar gave her. “What is wrong?”

 

“Nothing, it’s just...” He made a small pause. “Most women I know don’t talk like this, that’s all.”

 

“Oh, I assure they do.” She smiled wickedly. “When they are alone and if they don’t, they probably think like this.” She shrugged. “Women are not that different from men or from each other in that aspect. I am not special.”

 

They stared at each other until the Princess looked down to the book he had been holding.

 

“Are you liking it?”

 

“Pardon me?” He wasn’t really paying attention, he had lost himself in her eyes.

 

“The book, are you liking it?”

 

“Oh, I haven’t started yet.” He looked at the cover before returning his gaze to her. “You invaded the chambers before I could even read the first word.”

 

“Well, I couldn’t let my brother kill you.”

 

“And I am grateful for that.” Rhaegar assured softly.

 

They stared at each other again.

 

“Well, I don’t like it. “The Princess pointed to the book. “I prefer Danny Flint.”

“Danny Flint?”

 

“Aye, a woman who pretended to be a man and joined the Night’s Watch.”

 

“I have never heard of her.”

 

“Well, it’s not a pleasant story, she is raped and murdered at the end.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Aye, quite gruesome.” She agreed sadly before looking up from the ground and meeting his eyes. “Do you Targaryens have nice stories?”

 

He knew that what she really wanted to know was about brave women, so he told her about Visenya, Alysanne, Rhaenyra and Daena de Defiant. By the end of his tales, Princess Lyanna had a big smile on her pretty lips.

 

“I heard about this Baelor, he was the first one to make peace with Dorne and the first to try to have a relationship with the North. He was a bit mad for locking away his sisters though.”

 

“That he was.” Rhaegar agreed. “It was my great-grandfather’s father, Daeron, that ended the war with Dorne and bought it into our Kingdom, he married Mariah Martell and sent his daughter, Daenerys to be Maron Martell’s bride.”

 

“Way smarter than what the first Daeron did.”

 

“Indeed.” He said softly. “Do you think your father will bend the knee?”

 

“Honestly, I don’t know.” She groaned, clearly angry for not knowing it. “We have been worrying about the Long Night for so long and to know that we are not the only ones worried about it change many things.” She looked down and hugged herself. “The fact that the singers were not aware of the prophesy you spoke of shows that we are not ready to face this evil alone.”

 

“Singers?” He had heard people talking about them. “Do you mean the children of the forest?”

 

“They don’t like being called that.”

 

“I see.” He waited for her to look up before continuing. “My family only wishes to unite the Seven Kingdoms into a centralized rule so that we may have a better chance, the prophesy is only a small part of it.”

 

“It’s not small for you.” She spoke up rather abruptly. “I can see it in your eyes, they have an odd glint whenever you mention it.”

 

So she had noticed, he realized. It was true, his whole life he had been haunted and shaped by it. It was a burden, a very heavy one that sometimes he wished he didn’t have to carry. He wasn’t the Prince, of that he was sure, but he knew the Prince would come from his body. He was fire and, now that he looked at Lyanna Stark, he had the strong feeling that she was the Ice he needed.

 

“It haunts me.” He admitted. Leaning back at the chair. “My parents only married because of it and I am inclined to believe that the Prince will be my son.”

 

“Your son.” She murmured. “Are you already trying for one, then?”

 

“I… I am yet to be wed.”

 

He thought he could see some understating passing through her eyes, like she knew what he wanted to suggest. Yet it passed like a fleeting shadow before he could be sure.

 

“The North will not want to submit and our lords will not like to see my father let go of his ancient title of King in the North.”

 

“The Martells kept their titles.” Now he was sure she understood what he was implying, the cautious glint in her eyes told him so. “The North will join without bloodshed and your house will keep its title.”

 

“We will talk to my father about it.” She stood up and moved to leave.

 

“Do you accept, then?” He caught himself asking, feeling a bit stupid right after. Princess Lyanna had bewitched him.

 

“Maybe.” She gave him a small smile. “If you tell me more stories about the amazing women of your house.”

 

She left him there, holding back a smile while looking down at his feet. Fire and Ice, Prince Rhaegar and Princess Lyanna. He liked that thought.


End file.
